Extra Long Flexible Tap Connectors

[Onoff]

Still on the lookout for decent quality, extra long flexible tap connectors to go from what will be routinely inaccessible bath tap connections to behind a removable tile where the basin & bath isolators will be I FINALLY found this company:

http://www.mecserflex.co.uk/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=6655&idcategory=1424

[daiking]

Come off it, that's just a fancy washing machine hose. But you've reminded me I have a hose question too.

[Mikey_1980]

Screwfix do them £4.50 each, http://www.screwfix.com/p/wras-hose-15mm-x-1-2in-x-1500mm-x-10mm/41845

[Onoff]

3 hours ago, Mikey_1980 said:

Screwfix do them £4.50 each, http://www.screwfix.com/p/wras-hose-15mm-x-1-2in-x-1500mm-x-10mm/41845

Sure I've read somewhere that the S'fix ones narrow down to an 8mm bore. The ones in my link are available seemingly in a 19mm bore.

And they're a "commercial" grade.

Something like this (with a couple of handy garden hose offcuts). Long flexibles, probably one @ 1500mm & the other 1200mm will come off the bath taps, go through holes drilled in the dwarf stud wall and join copper coming down the wall where there's currently no PIR. All joists accessible via removable tile. 

Edited May 24, 2016 by Onoff
Added "commercial" comment & added pics

[Nickfromwales]

That picture makes it a lot clearer. 

I think you should use push fit tap connectors on the taps, then use 22mm x 3m ( straight ) lengths of push it pipe to go between the taps and the isolations. 

A quick question. Are you proposing the removable tile JUST for access to the bath isolations?

[Onoff]

I was trying to avoid joints under the bath, keeping it to JUST at the tap itself. Red tile here will be the removable one:

Sink will be to the left of the tile:

Likely changing sink style for a half height pedestal.

So.....all the joints will be behind that one tile.

At least that WAS the plan.....

Thinking about this you mentioned before to do the runs in 15mm I think?

Edited May 24, 2016 by Onoff

[Nickfromwales]

I think you're seriously over thinking the plumbing, and there's no one who over engineers things more than me, which is why I'm not rich. 

You could very easily get away with 3/4 x 22mm push fit tap connectors, then straight ( but plenty flexible ) pieces of pushfit going to fixed plumbing in the footprint of the bath 'framework' and no isolations. The likelihood of having to isolate the bath is nigh on never, and I'd really not want to try and engineer a removable tiled panel tbh, nor would I like to look at a non grouted section. 

The plumbing for the basin can have isolations on the actual tap connectors ( known as service valves ) so again no need for any access or other for that either. 

Am I seeing right that you've bought a two tap hole basin? You'd be better off with a mixer with kids, or do as I did and fit a blending valve to cap the max temp at the basin hot tap. Otherwise you'll be getting full range hot out of the hot tap with no means of cooling it down. 

Just tried squinting at the pic again, is that a hole in the middle for a mono block? If so I'll shut me mouth. 

[Onoff]

It's a mixer tap, (single hole) on the basin, think the two bits of black tape confuse things:

The basin & bath taps are only Bristan (bought before I knew any better ). 

You know me, never one to over complicate something.....

So will this 15mm copper I've bought be OK (for EVERYTHING)?

Cheers

[Nickfromwales]

Yup. 

Use 22mm x3/4" tap connectors rather than flexis and you'll get a fuller bore. Convert from 15 to 22mm at the end of the push fit pipes using push fit reducers onto 15mm copper. You'll probably have naff flow rates even then as iirc you've got gravity hot water at the mo, so you'll only see the benefits when you convert to an uvc later on. 

[Onoff]

Just had an email back from Mecserflex who do those hoses in my link and they DON'T do the 19mm bore anymore just 12 and 10mm. 

[Nickfromwales]

21 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Yup. 

Use 22mm x3/4" tap connectors rather than flexis and you'll get a fuller bore. Convert from 15 to 22mm at the end of the push fit pipes using push fit reducers onto 15mm copper. You'll probably have naff flow rates even then as iirc you've got gravity hot water at the mo, so you'll only see the benefits when you convert to an uvc later on. 

[Onoff]

Getting my 15mm drops in (at last ); hot, cold & mains for the sink cold. Had to puncture the VCL atop the plasterboard, guess just tape where it comes thru in the loft. Will put an offset in the pipes to bring them further forward in the dwarf wall. That way I'll get my 50mm PIR in there without cutting to fit as I'll have to do in the section above the wall:

At the mo the VCL's just drawing pinned to the ceiling to keep it up out of the way.

[Nickfromwales]

That left pipe looks 1.5mm too far over to me

Edited May 27, 2016 by Nickfromwales
I can't spell :(

[Onoff]

2 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

That left pipe looks 1.5mm too far over to me

Everything gets cleaned and hoovered even if it's being covered up!

[mafaldina]

Flexi connectors are the work of the devil. Do it all in copper (problem if you've got taps that won't work with it, ie no copper tails!), do it properly and it won't leak. Flexis always leak eventually, in fact disintegrate.

I'm sure Nick will back me up on this.

Best, Mafalda

 

[Onoff]

With hindsight I might have ordered the bath without the tap holes drilled in and had a wall mounted bath filler something like this:

I don't think I could live with blanking off the existing tap holes either and going wall mounted. Half toyed with having a wall mounted tap and fitting a couple of waterproof lights in the tap holes. Might look a bit naff though?

Where the drill is and the UFH sensor pipe will be a boxed in "riser". You can just see the pump motor behind:

Did consider rotating the bath 180deg and having the taps on the outside but we don't want that. I'd also have to cut a slot in the slab for the pump motor bracket and then I'd hit the UFH pipes. Access as it is is v.tight to get to the pump / motor so if there's any issue the bath'll have to come out anyway. Then I'll be glad of the flexibles.

Just to complicate things (), on the outside edges of the bath I'm considering raking the timber frame back so the tiled sides are at an angle.

Back to the piping issue. This is looking along from where the pipes come down from the wall:

It's all a bit tight and there is no way I'll be able to get to these connections once the bath is in:

 

 

Edited May 28, 2016 by Onoff

[Onoff]

Better shot of the taps.The CT1 and Multisolve are sitting on the recessed shelf to simulate where the wine glass will go:

 

[Nickfromwales]

Couldn't you still ditch the taps for a combined overflow filler? Hot and cold taps but no spout?

[Onoff]

34 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Couldn't you still ditch the taps for a combined overflow filler? Hot and cold taps but no spout?

Thanks, I'd forgotten about that as an option! Still got the pita of getting to the "tap" connections if they leak or to replace once it's all in though.

Picked at random but that downward pointing tube on some of these looks ideally positioned to catch your knee etc:

http://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/Ultra_Quest_Bath_Filler_Side_Valves_Chrome.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=Shopping&gclid=CPnWso23gc0CFRYTGwodCHYM1w

Really got to decide on these pipes asap to move on. With hindsight I might even have cut a big square access "hatch" through the cavity wall behind but then that would have meant major disruption to the adjacent room, removal of bookcases etc.

[Nickfromwales]

Easy tiger. I really, really think you need a chill pill on the access issues. Once the bath is in you'll never see them again. 

How about putting isolation valves in the attic and just coming down and going direct? I do this for a living and personally dislike isolating valve on baths and showers as they tend to restrict the flow a bit plus I can't ever think where they would have been 1) necessary or 2) handy when it's just a 2 second job to knock the mains off and drain down. 

The overflow fillers do stick out a bit and your bath is quite pronounced there so maybe just go for the overflow there ( deep breath ) and find a way to connect to the water jet system so it backfills through them ( I'll get my tin hat ready ). Only problem will be washing goop out but if you tee into that somehow it might be quite cool. You'd need additional double check valves for protection against cross contamination but just a thought. 

[Nickfromwales]

That filler looks quite bulky 

try this one as that's what I bought for my bath. 

[Onoff]

As of 5 minutes ago after discussing the issues with madam we're thinking:

- Turn the bath through 180 degrees which will put the taps the side you get in. That will of course mean it's a bit wider to get over the bit where the taps project.

But, we don't want high taps to have to swing your legs over, especially when we're older. Neither does she like the "piddly" little taps you get with bath fillers. So:

- Cap the tap holes off with some quality chrome blanks (if such a thing exits) the holes are about 36-37mm dia and the fibreglass there looks about 8mm thick. Or maybe even a couple of low voltage "mood" lights?

- Find a combined filler/overflow preferably at a decent price as I'm getting grief over all the bits bought and that we won't now use (like the bath taps). I assume you can get one where you turn/push the filler itself to get the water to flow?

This will, combined; put the tap/filler pipework the accessible side of the bath (removable panel etc). I can still just get to the trap from this side thanks to the chamfer I put in the floor recess. (Just have to put up with the fibreglass splinters when I get my arm under there). On the plus side it would put the trap on the accessible side.

Will have to hack out the slab carefully for the pump motor bracket if I turn the bath round but if I'm careful should be OK as I've enough coverage above the UFH pipes there.

Just as I was finishing typing this I read Nick's two last posts.....

[Calvinmiddle]

9 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

That filler looks quite bulky 

try this one as that's what I bought for my bath. 

That looks like the one I have, I went for a lever tap on the wall away from the bath, will get a photo of it later

[Nickfromwales]

Ripping another f'kd bathroom out at the mo ( yes on a bank holiday, don't rub it in )  so I'll add to this later when I'm sipping a cold one